Mail-box-delivery apparatus.



PATBNTEDMAY 21. 1907. E. S.BAUGHMAN. MAIL BOXDELIVERY APPARATUS.

attozumo PETERS co4, wAsHmcroN. n. c.

EZEKIEL S. BAUGHMAN, OF QUINOY, OI-IIO.

i MAIL-BOX-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1907.

Application led January 31, 1907. Serial No. 355,055.

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be -it known that I, EZEKIEL S. BAUGH- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Logan and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Box-Delivery Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rural mail box delivery apparatus. y

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character by means of which a mailbox may be quickly and readily transferred back and forth between a house and a roadway to transport mail.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus arranged in position for use; Fig. 2 is a view of the supporting posts and operating pulley at one end of the line, Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the supporting and operating wires adjacent to one of the intermediate supporting Posts, showing the manner in which the box and carriage are engaged with the supporting wire or cable, and the arrangement of one of the cable supporting brackets; Fig. 4 is a side view of the box and its carriage.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the supporting cable of the apparatus which extends from the roadway to the house and is connected at its opposite ends to suitable supports. The cable 1 is here shown as connected at its outer end to supporting post 2, and at its inner or house end to supporting post 3. It will be obvious, however, that the inner end of the cable may be connected directly to the house or to any other form of support, while the outer end of the cable may be connected to a tree or telegraph pole.

Arranged between the inner and outer supports of the cable is shown an intermediate supporting post 4, of which there may be any suitable number, depending upon the length of the cable. Each post 4 has secured there to a substantially rectangular frame 5, to the upper cross bar of which is secured a downwardly and laterally projecting substantially right angular supporting bracket 6, the lower end of which is turned upwardly and is soldered or otherwise rigidly secured to the lower side of the cable 1, thereby providing a firm support and fastening for the cable.

On the outer post 2 below the connection of the cable I therewith is arranged a guide pulley 7, around which is adapted to pass an operating wire 8, the opposite ends of which extend to the inner post and are connected to an operating drum or pulley 9, the said pulley 9 being provided with two annular grooves 10, which are separated by an annular iangc 1l. One endof the operating wire 8 is secured to one of the grooves 1() of the pulley, while the other end of the operating wire is secured in the adjacent groove of the pulley, said ends of the wires being attached at points on the same side of the periphery of the pulley and extended in opposite directions whereby when the same is revolved, one end of the wire will be wound up, while the opposite end will be unwound from the pulley. The pulley 9 is journaled in a suitable bracket 13, secured to the post 3, and to the shaft of the pulley 9 is connected an operating crank 14. T o the operating wire 8 at a point substantially midway between its ends is secured a mail box 15, which may be of any suitable shape, but it is here shown, and is preferably rectangular and provided with an inclined cover 16. Secured to the rear side of the box are hanger bars 17, the upper ends of which are formed integral with or secured to a carriage 18. The carriage 18 has journaled on one side over the box 15 a pair of supporting rollers 19, said rollers being provided with radially projecting iianges 20, which are engaged with the opposite sides of the cable l, and prevent the casual disengagement of the pulleys therefrom so that the box 15 cannot be readily thrown off from the cable or track wire 1.

In operating the device, assuming the box to be at the road end of the apparatus, and having had mail matter placed therein by the carrier, a person at the house end of the appa- IOO Y IIO upper stretch and again draw the boX out to the road end ofthe apparatus.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacriiicing anT of the advantages of this invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters -I3atent, is

In an apparatus of the character described, a supporting cable rigidly secured at its opposite ends, an intermediate Supporting post, a supporting frame secured to said post, substantially right angular brackets or hangers arranged in said frame and secured to the under side of said cable to support the latter, a guide pulley at one end of said cable, a double grooved winding drum mounted at the opposite ends of the cable, a carriage, flanged Wheels liournaled on said carriage and adapted to engage and run on said cable, a mail boX connected to said carriage, an operating Wire connected to said box and adapted to pass around said guide pulley, the opposite ends of said wire being connected to the same side of said operating drum in the grooves formed therein and extended in opposite directions, and a crank adapted to turn said drum to wind up one end of said wire and unwind the other end.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, EZEKIEL S. BAUGIIMAN.

Witnesses:

A. ALLENGER, A J. W. WILKINSON. 

